Garlic Tahini Chickpea Bowl (Printable Version)
Protein-packed chickpeas and spinach topped with creamy garlic tahini sauce for a nourishing plant-based meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chickpea and Spinach Base
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
04 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garlic Tahini Sauce
09 - 3 tablespoons tahini
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
11 - 1 clove garlic, finely grated
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed to thin
13 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
→ Optional Toppings
14 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - Red pepper flakes, to taste
# How To Make:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced red onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic, ground cumin, and smoked paprika to the skillet. Stir constantly for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add drained chickpeas to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are lightly golden and heated through.
04 - Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until completely wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
05 - While the chickpeas cook, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, sea salt, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches a smooth, drizzleable consistency.
06 - Divide the chickpea and spinach mixture evenly between two bowls. Drizzle generously with the garlic tahini sauce.
07 - Top each bowl with toasted sesame seeds, chopped fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Serve immediately while warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The garlic tahini sauce alone is worth making this, creamy, sharp, and it disappears into the chickpeas in the best way.
- Everything cooks in one skillet, which means you eat well and still have a clean kitchen before your coffee cools.
- It is genuinely filling without leaving you sluggish, which is rarer than it sounds for a plant-based breakfast.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the chickpeas thoroughly, the leftover liquid from the can will make everything soggy and taste tinny.
- The tahini sauce thickens as it sits, so if you make it ahead, whisk in a splash of water right before serving to bring it back to a drizzleable consistency.
03 -
- Letting the chickpeas sit undisturbed in the hot skillet for a full minute before stirring is the difference between soft and actually crispy edges.
- Taste the tahini sauce on a chickpea before adjusting seasoning, the sauce on its own tastes different than it does paired with the smoky skillet mixture.